


factual or fiction

by gingergenower



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 3x04, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Missing Scene, basically I wondered what happened to morgan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 23:06:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14436090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingergenower/pseuds/gingergenower
Summary: Morgan doesn’t even really know if she believes any of this- nothing they’ve said makes sense- but neither of them have tried to hurt her, and some instinct in her tells her they don’t want to.





	factual or fiction

**Author's Note:**

> who gets too attached to side characters with unresolved endings? me, when said characters take on the queen of hell’s minions with pepper spray

Morgan can’t stop shaking. Cold with sweat, still in her gold dress from the fundraiser, her hair’s lank with grease and she can’t remember what happened. She can’t remember anything before the party.

One of the men, who told her his name was Magnus, drapes a blanket around her and she forces herself to look up in acknowledgement, wrapping herself up in it more firmly. She’s cross legged on the couch, opposite Alec, who’s behind the desk. Magnus asks what kind of hot drink she likes.

She doesn’t even really know if she believes any of this- nothing they’ve said makes sense- but neither of them have tried to hurt her, and some instinct in her tells her they don’t want to. ‘Peppermint tea?’

Magnus snaps his fingers and a steaming mug materialises in his hands, and Morgan blinks. If it was an illusion, she can’t see how it was done.

Playing along her best option, she takes it. It smells amazing, better than the stuff she normally gets at Starbucks, but she doesn’t drink it, resting the mug on her crossed legs and wrapping her hands around it for warmth.

Magnus crouches next to the couch, eyes soft and sympathetic. ‘Can I just make sure you aren’t hurt? It won’t take long, and I won’t touch you.’

She swallows and doesn’t say anything, but she does nod, looking at the mug.

Hands flourishing, Magnus conjures insubstantial, blue light that settles into Morgan’s skin. It mostly feels warm, the pressing pain of a bump on the back of her head easing, her scraped palms healing in a few seconds, and she breathes out.

She waits until the sensation disappears before she looks up, but Magnus is already retreating behind the desk and giving her space. She murmurs a thank you, looking back down at the mug.

Hesitantly, she raises it to her lips and sips it. Warmth seeps through every nerve in her body, settling her shaking hands, and she meets their eyes again.

Alec’s watching her carefully, every word measured. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Fine.’

They told her it was demon possession. She doesn’t remember the last day because she was possessed by a demon and for some reason, the demon let her go, and even they don’t understand why.

‘What’s the last thing you remember?’

She plucks the material of her dress up. ‘Getting ready at my apartment.’

Magnus doesn’t seem surprised, folding his arms, and Alec’s expression doesn’t change.

‘You’re missing about a day.’ His tone is gentle.

‘I- a whole day?’

He nods. ‘Your sister, Sarah, reported you missing to the police this morning.’

How do they even know about Sarah? Her sister had been terrified after that _creature_ grabbed Morgan, and for her to be missing now-

‘Wait. The other night, I was-’

‘That was the demon that possessed you,’ Alec says, jaw tight.

Eyes flitting between the two of them, Morgan frowns. ‘Are you trying to tell me I fought off a _demon_ with pepper spray?’

‘We’re as surprised as you.’

‘I might get a few cans for myself,’ Magnus says, light, and Alec shoots him an irritated look. ‘I had no idea it would be so effective.’

She drinks again, mostly for something to do, and it’s warm again.

Neither of the men speak, watching her as though wary of what she’ll do next, and eventually she takes a deep breath.

‘What happens now?’

Magnus and Alec look at each other, silently communicating something. After a few seconds, Magnus nods slightly, and Alec turns back to her, meeting her gaze steadily. It’s as though he’s trying to assure her of his ability to handle this, and for some reason, she believes him. ‘We have a couple of different options.’

Morgan doesn’t look away from them, on edge again.

‘We’re not sure why the demon let you go. It’s entirely possible you’re safe now, and you could go home.’

Magnus holds her gaze, sure. ‘We would take every precaution to ensure your safety.’

‘But we don’t know why the demon picked you,’ Alec continues. ‘If you go home, it might target you again.’

Almost sure this is the kind of underground organisation where she has no room for free will, Morgan swallows. ‘So what’s going to happen?’

‘What do you want?’ It’s Magnus who asks, but Alec doesn’t so much as blink.

Considering the two of them for a moment- Alec’s quiet authority, Magnus’ quiet kindness- Morgan decides she trusts them just enough to ask. ‘I mean, I _want_ to go home, but- what do you think?’

‘Personally,’ Alec says, voice lower, ‘I would recommend you go home.’

Magnus, in turn, doesn’t seem to disagree, nodding slightly, and she realises she wanted them to tell her to stay.

‘A demon wants to possess me.’

‘Yes. But, you wouldn’t be allowed to stay here, in this Institute,’ Alec says. ‘I don’t have the authority to request you do. A mund- a person like you would be transferred to a safe place, possibly another city-’

‘The Clave would treat you like a prisoner,’ Magnus says, and Alec doesn’t look at him, but he grits his teeth.

‘Magnus-’

‘You wouldn’t be able to ask to leave,’ Magnus tells her, ignoring him. ‘They would decide when, or if, it was safe to let you go.’

‘ _Magnus_ -’

‘You should take the opportunity to choose while you can.’

Unable to look at them, Morgan looks down at her mug. She thinks of walking through this place, all the people between her and the door. ‘Am I prisoner now?’

‘No,’ Alec sounds unsettled, but he tries to keep his voice firm. ‘You’re under my protection, and we’re asking you what you want.’

‘If you choose to go home,’ Magnus says, coming back around the desk and perching on the edge of the coffee table, waiting for her to look him in the eye, speaking fiercely, ‘I promise you will be safe. My magic is powerful. I can put wards up that mean no demon will even be able to be within a block of you. I can protect you, your home, your sister. There would be no reason to be afraid.’

‘My people will watch over you, too,’ Alec says, and she hunches over, face screwing up, trying to hold back tears.

She can’t think, can’t imagine going back out _there_ , where there are demons and monsters and magic waiting down dark alleyways, how is she ever supposed to live a normal life, how is she supposed to live knowing there’s a target on her back-?

A hand touches her arm, soft, and eventually, she looks up.  Magnus’ eyes are compelling. ‘We won’t let anything happen to you.’

After a few, long seconds, she wipes her eyes and nods. ‘Ok.’

It all happens fast, after she’s agreed to it. A fresh peppermint tea in her hands, Magnus leaves create the “wards” around her home, kissing Alec goodbye.

It takes Morgan two seconds to decide that it makes complete sense they’re together.

Alec makes a phone call, scrolling down on a tablet and reading as he talks. ‘I need a favour… a mundane was possessed, we need you to take her to the station. Yeah, I was thinking you could just say you found her walking the streets… anytime now, really. Thanks, Luke.’

Morgan swallows, wondering if they’ll make up a story for to tell, wondering if she’ll be able to keep it straight with all this in her head, but Alec starts talking.

‘Luke Garroway’s a detective with the NYPD. I’ll officially release you into police custody when he arrives.’

She nods, and Alec looks up, his gaze almost as soft as Magnus’ even though it’s a different kind of warmth. He’s more a protector than someone trying to be a friend; he’s a leader, the kind people choose to follow.

‘You’ll be home soon.’

‘Yeah. Thank you.’

‘Just doing my job,’ he says, looking back at his tablet.

‘I know.’

He pauses, then sighs, forcing himself to look up at her. ‘You’re welcome.’

After a moment, she drinks again and Alec turns back to his work, settling into the quiet. ‘Why would the- Clave?- keep me as a prisoner?’

‘They deal in absolutes,’ he says, without hesitation. ‘“The law is hard, but it is the law”. My experiences recently… well, I wouldn’t trust them with you. I wouldn’t trust them with anyone.’

The last comment’s quiet, as though she’s not supposed to hear, so she pretends she doesn’t. ‘He doesn’t like them. Magnus.’

‘He has plenty of reasons not to.’

She pauses, curious, and Alec sighs.

‘He has magic because he’s half human, half demon.’

Morgan tries to contain her reaction, but she can’t stop the instinct of fear. ‘Like the one that possessed me?’

‘Not quite.’ His eyes harden as he holds her gaze- her reaction didn’t pass unnoticed.

‘Are you half demon?’

He blinks, honestly surprised. ‘No.’

‘Oh.’ She looks down at her mug. ‘Sorry, I just don’t know how I’m supposed to tell.’

At that, he hesitates. ‘There isn’t one way to tell, really.’

Nodding, she drinks again, almost sure now Magnus put something magical in the tea to help settle her- or it’s very, very expensive. ‘Magnus seems really kind.’

‘He’s one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met,’ Alec says, not even seeming to think about it, flicking through something on the tablet. ‘It’s the only "absolute" he is.’

‘No wonder the Clave doesn’t like him.’

Alec tries to hide a small smile. ‘Right.’

Both fine in the stillness that settles, Morgan’s happy to drink her tea and watch him work, but eventually she can’t help herself.

‘Got any tips?’

He looks at her, inquisitive.

‘I’m terrible at dating. I always pick the _worst_ guys.’

Ducking his head, he looks embarrassed, but pleased. ‘Sorry, but he picked me.’

‘Of course he did,’ she says, grinning, not at all annoyed.

‘I wish I could be more help…’

‘I’ll ask him,’ she says, shrugging, and Alec looks like he’s about to argue, but Magnus sweeps back in the room.

‘All done,’ he says, and looks pleasantly surprised at her expression. ‘Are you feeling better?’

‘I was just asking for dating advice, but he said I should ask you.’

‘I didn’t,’ Alec says, immediately, and Magnus smirks.

‘I do have several centuries experience on the subject. What do you want to know?’

‘…centuries?’

‘I’m immortal.’

She blinks, then shakes her head. It’s not the weirdest thing she’s heard today. ‘Cool. How do you find the right person?’

‘You wait several centuries,’ Magnus tells her, and Alec rolls his eyes.

‘Magnus, be serious.’

Winking at Morgan, Magnus doesn’t answer and Alec rolls his eyes, turning back to his work.

‘I don’t have centuries, unfortunately,’ Morgan says, and Alec doesn’t look up, pretending to be completely uninterested.

‘Proposing to someone else worked for me.’

Magnus barks a laugh, delighted, and Morgan smiles at his reaction even though she’s completely confused.

‘What?’

‘I nearly married someone else,’ Alec explains, shrugging. ‘He crashed my wedding.’

‘It’s not crashing if you’re invited.’

‘…there are _so many_ questions,’ Morgan says, grinning, ‘I don’t know where to start.’

A rap of knuckles cuts through their conversation, a serious-looking man stood in the open doorway, and Alec snaps to attention, standing.

‘Luke, thank you for coming. This is Morgan Young, her sister reported her missing this morning. Morgan, this is Detective Luke Garroway. He’ll get you home safe.’

She waves a hand in greeting, and Luke nods, grave.

‘Where do I need to sign?’

Alec holds out the tablet, and Luke signs it.

‘What am I supposed to tell my sister?’ Morgan asks, and Magnus flinches.

The moment pauses, Luke not saying anything, Magnus and Alec communicating silently again. Morgan’s unnerved by the quiet, and eventually, Alec takes a deep breath and steels himself to look her in the eye.

‘You’re going to tell her you don’t remember anything.’

‘That’s a terrible lie.’

‘It’ll be the truth.’

Morgan blinks, looking between the men. ‘What?’

‘I can remove your memories,’ Magnus says, quiet. ‘You won’t remember any of this.’

‘That’s- no.’

‘I can’t let you leave knowing everything you do,’ Alec says, stiff and professional.

‘You asked what I wanted. _No_.’

‘Morgan, I haven’t got a choice, you know too much-’

Slamming the mug down on the coffee table, she stands, blanket dropping off her shoulders. ‘I don’t want you messing with my _head_ \- it’s already had a demon in it.’

Magnus flinches, and Alec’s jaw tightens.

‘Don’t.’

‘You’re not removing my memories,’ Morgan snaps, ‘they’re _mine_.’

‘Magnus does it now or, your memories intact, I hand you over to the Clave,’ Alec says.

Her eyes search his, but they’re ruthless. ‘You wouldn’t.’

‘I’d have no other choice.’

Morgan swallows, and she’s suddenly, overwhelmingly aware of how outnumbered she is, even if Magnus didn’t have magic. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, turning away from them, she wants to run, but all three of them are between her and the only door.

How many times is that demon going to take from her?

Taking a deep breath, pissed off and crying, she turns to glare at all of them, hands shaking again. ‘Fine.’

She sits, Magnus standing over her, his expression soft as he explains it won’t hurt. Alec watches, arms folded, and Magnus pulls blue light from thin air with a flourish of his hands.

‘I didn’t mean that you’re a demon,’ she says, suddenly important to her that she says it and Magnus knows, choked up with tears. He pauses. ‘I just meant I didn’t want someone else in my brain.’

Eyes understanding, Magnus nods. ‘I wouldn’t either.’

Alec looks away, so Morgan squeezes her eyes shut, waiting for a blow that never lands.

 

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from janelle monae's [I Like It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uovntV3ZMDc)
> 
> I _really_ wish we'd seen more morgan- like, she kicked ass but worked with charities and was fine going out to a party a night after getting attacked by a monster? #goals
> 
> also, if you like my writing, one of my stories from this fandom is up for a fav fic competition [here](http://gingergenower.tumblr.com/post/173304569399/officialmaleclibrary-we-recently-hit-3k) and I'm honestly crying rn just because they nominated me, so... maybe go vote [if you like the story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13680498)? thank you so much! <3


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